Law enforcement needs to be tightened to make state garbage-free: Minister Rajesh
State-level Haritha Sabha inaugurated on World Environment Day
Trivandrum / June 5, 2023
Thiruvananthapuram, June 05: Minister for Local Self Government and Excise Shri M B Rajesh today called for further strengthening law enforcement to make the state garbage-free as awareness campaigns alone would not yield the desired results aimed through ‘State with No Waste’ programme.
The Minister was speaking at the state-level inauguration of Haritha Sabha on World Environmental Day here. Transport Minister Shri Antony Raju presided over the function.
The Local Self Government Department (LSGD) convened Haritha Sabhas (green assemblies) across the state with the active participation of Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs),marking the successful completion of the goals set for the first phase of the Immediate Action Plan launched to keep Kerala clean and litter-free and plan the future course of action.
Even as consistent campaigns and projects are on, focussing on waste disposal, total cooperation and support by the public is needed to achieve the target of making Kerala completely garbage-free by March 2024, Shri Rajesh said. Also, the rules and legal measures need to be enforced strictly to see that our surroundings are kept clean without being littered with garbage and pollutants.
“The government aims to make Kerala completely garbage-free by March 2024 through three phases. We have to dispose of bio-waste at its origin and remove garbage mounds from public spaces”
The Minister said LSGIs have to take strict measures to keep their surroundings clean and hygienic. “The second phase of the campaign will conclude on October 31,2023 and Haritha Sabhas will be convened again on November 1. Besides, on November 14, Shishudina Haritha Sabhas(Children’s Haritha Sabhas) will be held to know about the feedback of children about the campaign,” Shri Rajesh added.
The Minister also inaugurated the vending machine for cotton bags and released a handbook on the garbage-free Kerala programme.
Shri Rajesh gave away awards for the Best Haritha Karma Sena, Best Ward, Best Circle Office, Best Resident Association, Best RRR (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Ward and Litter-free Ward. The Minister also distributed insurance cards to members of Haritha Karma Sena and certificates for Green Technicians.
Shri Rajesh switched on the CCTV cameras that will alert the officials whenever garbage is dumped, the first of which is installed in Peroorkada ward.
An agreement was signed by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and Environmental Department, Government of Kerala, with GIZ, Germany on the occasion. A sanitary waste disposal agreement was also signed in the presence of the Minister.
In his address, Minister for Transport, Shri Antony Raju said since air pollution has become a critical issue now, more electric buses will be deployed in the city using the KIIFB fund.
“KSRTC will add around 113 electric buses to its fleet soon, taking the total number of electric buses in the city to 163. Apart from adding electric boats in water transport sector, more solar boats will be rolled out in two months,” Shri Raju said.
Corporation Mayor Smt Arya Rajendran, who welcomed the gathering, said waste disposal is vital and it should be given importance like development and welfare programmes.
VK Prasanth, MLA; Corporation Deputy Mayor Shri PK Raju; Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Smt Sarada Muraleedharan; Health Affairs Standing Committee Chairperson Smt Jameela Sreedharan; Education and Sports Standing Committee Chairperson Dr Reena KS; Councillor Shri Padmakumar; Suchitwa Mission Director Shri Jotheesh Chandran G and Dr Katharina Paterok, representative of GIZ, Germany, were also present.
Corporation Health Officer Dr Gopakumar R S presented the report of the activities in the Corporation during the first phase of garbage-free Kerala campaign.
The Haritha Sabhas,one of India’s largest awareness campaigns, had an attendance of more than two lakh people. They evaluated the outcome of ‘State with No Waste’ campaign conducted from March 15, 2023 to June 1, 2023, and discussed the future course of action.
In the first phase, the activities were aimed at segregating waste in its place of origin, 100 percent doorstep collection of non-biodegradable waste, 100 percent disposal of biodegradable waste in its place of origin, removal of garbage from public spaces and solid waste from waterbodies.
